(Sparnopolius confusus)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
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Description |
Aster bee fly is a small to medium-sized, stout-bodied, bee fly. It occurs in the United States east of the Great Plains, in southern Quebec and Ontario Canada and in Mexico. It is uncommon in Minnesota. Adults are active in late July through September. They feed on flower nectar. The larvae are external parasites on the eggs of May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.). Adults are ¼″ to ⅜″ (6 to 9 mm) in length. The body is stout. When viewed from the side it is convex, but it is not strongly arched. It is black but it is densely covered with short, erect, yellowish hair. The head is broad and directed downward. It is also densely covered with short, erect, yellowish hair. The back of the head (occiput) does not have a deep central cavity. The antennae are black and long, longer than the head. They have three segments. The first segment is narrow (linear). It is usually not swollen, but sometimes it is slightly swollen. The second segment is much shorter than the first. The third segment is tapered. It is not divided by rings (annulated). The eyes are bare, not covered with hairs. The rear margin is smooth, not deeply indented. The beak-like projection of mouthparts (proboscis) is moderately long, only a little longer than the antennae. The face is mostly hairless. The first segment of the thorax is also directed downward. The abdomen is oval, broad, flattened, and densely hairy. The hair on the abdomen is uniformly yellowish. The wings are clear, and they are at least as long as the abdomen. There are 2 submarginal cells and 4 posterior cells. The second submarginal cell is longer than wide. The first posterior cell is open at the wing margin. Vein M2 is present. The legs are long and slender. The third section (femur) on the hind legs has no bristles. The fourth section (tibia) on the middle and hind legs has a row of large bristles. |
Size |
Total length: ¼″ to ⅜″ (6 to 9 mm) |
Similar Species |
Habitat |
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Biology |
Season |
Late July through September |
Behavior |
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Life Cycle |
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Larva Food |
Eggs of May beetles (Phyllophaga spp.) |
Adult Food |
Flower nectar |
Distribution |
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Sources |
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1/5/2025 | ||
Occurrence |
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Uncommon in Minnesota |
Taxonomy |
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Order |
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Suborder |
Brachycera |
Infraorder |
Asilomorpha (Orthorrhapha) |
Superfamily |
Asiloidea |
Family |
Bombyliidae (bee flies) |
Subfamily |
Bombyliinae |
Tribe |
Conophorini |
Genus |
Sparnopolius |
The superfamily Asiloidea was formerly placed in Orthorrhapha, one of two infraorders of Brachycera, a suborder of Diptera. However, Brachycera did not contain all of the descendants of the last common ancestor (paraphyletic). It was split into five extant (still existing) and one extinct infraorder. Orthorrhapha is now considered obsolete and has not been used in decades, but it persists in printed literature and on some online sources. A recent revision of the order Diptera (Pope, et al., 2011) revived the name Orthorrhapha, but this has not been widely accepted. |
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Subordinate Taxa |
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Synonyms |
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Bombylius brevirostris Bombylius confusus Bombylius fulvus Bombylius lherminierii Dischistus aurifluus Dischistus fuscipes Sparnopolius cumatilis Sparnopolius fulvus |
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Common Names |
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aster bee fly |
Glossary
Femur
On insects and arachnids, the third, largest, most robust segment of the leg, coming immediately before the tibia. On humans, the thigh bone.
Linear
Long, straight, and narrow, with more or less parallel sides, like a blade of grass.
Occiput
The back of the head. In Odonata, Megaloptera, and Neuroptera, the upper part of the head behind the eyes.
Proboscis
The tube-like protruding mouthpart(s) of a sucking insect.
Tibia
The fourth segment of an insect leg, after the femur and before the tarsus (foot). The fifth segment of a spider leg or palp.
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Babette Kis |
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Sparnopolius confusus Aster bee fly
Aster bee fly, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on August 31, 2024. This fly was on Brown-headed Susan flowers. |
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Babette Kis |
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI Aster bee fly, photographed at Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI on August 31, 2024. This fly was on Brown-headed Susan flowers. |
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Created: 1/5/2025 Last Updated: © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved. |